The past week has seen South Asian families gathering to celebrate Raksha Bandhan – an annual festival during which sisters tie a bracelet around their brothers’ wrists.

The occasion is all about celebrating the sacred bond of affection shared between siblings, and this year we added our own flair to the festivities.

The bracelets, known as rakhis, are usually made of cotton or silk threads, and while they can be purchased from you local South Asian grocer, we decided to make our own.

We chose silk metallic threads for our rakhis, adopting classic macrame techniques to pull together an elegant band.

A gold bead (these are easily available at Spotlight and Lincraft) was threaded initially threaded through, before the strands were weaved in macrame knots.

Macrame has traditionally been used to make wall or pot plant hangings, but there’s no harm in adapting the craft to some cultural creations.

Take a look at our custom-made rakhis below, and happy Raksha Bandhan to you all.